title: Local adoptive immunotherapy of advanced head and neck tumors with LAK cells and interleukin-2.
abstract: Since October 1987 a pilot phase I-II study on the effect of loco-regional injections of recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) in association with LAK cells has been performed in advanced, recurrent head and neck cancer patients. Fourteen patients were treated with autologous LAKs and rIL-2 (Glaxo) given peritumorally and in the mastoid region (rIL-2 only in the latter site). LAKs (2-70 x 10(7)) + rIL-2 were injected on the first day of therapy, followed by 9 daily injections of rIL-2 only. The total daily dose of rIL-2 was escalated from 2,400 to 1.8 x 10(6) IU. Clinical evaluation was performed 30 days from the onset of therapy; 3 partial (95%, 66% and 50% reduction) and 3 minor responses were seen in the evaluated patients. All the other patients with a progressive disease after the first cycle were shifted to palliative chemotherapy. The partial responses were found in patients with a tumor burden less than 20 cm2. Cervical node metastasis did not respond to treatment. No relevant side effects occurred. These results indicate that loco-regional immunotherapy with rIL-2 and LAK cells can produce clinical responses in advanced head and neck cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Department, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Squadrelli-Saraceno
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rivoltini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantù
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ravagnani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parmiani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molinari
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2